Mainz increased the pressure but Pablo De Blasis and Yoshinori Muto failed to make the most of their chances. Meanwhile, Schalke should have doubled the lead in the closing period but for all that Nabil Bentaleb squandered a one-on-one.

With this back-to-back victory, Schalke moved to the ninth place to sit just four points away from the European spots.

Mainz suffered their second straight defeat to stay at the 12th position on the Bundesliga standings.

--IANS

ajb/vt

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